Ahead of the release of his love story Jab Tak Hai Jaan on Diwali, Shahrukh Khan says he has done more non-romantic films than romantic ones

Shahrukh Khan may be known the world over as the ultimate icon of romance, but portraying him as the lover boy is over-simplification, says the actor.

“Honestly, I think acting is my forte. I think this (being a romantic hero) is oversimplification – only five out of the 75 films that I have done have been romantic. They have done well, but so have the other ones,” said Shahrukh, as he awaits the release of his much-anticipated romantic saga Jab Tak Hai Jaan.

SRK made it big initially with grey roles in Baazigar and Darr, but was labelled ‘king of romance’ following the stupendous success of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Dil Toh Pagal Hai and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. He proved his versatility by featuring in action movies like Don 2 and issue-based films like My Name Is Khan, Chak De! India and Swades, but the tag stuck. His last love saga was the Aditya Chopra directed Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. He returns to the genre after a gap of four years with the late Yash Chopra’s Jab Tak Hai Jaan, which releases on November 13 on Diwali.

Shahrukh will be seen wooing Katrina Kaif and Anushka Chopra in what he calls a modern love story. “Yashji wanted to make love stories. He said that we have had enough of these fighting films. I believed in him…. (with this film) he said he wanted to make a simple yet complicated film on human relations. It is a very modern interpretation (of love). (But) I think love remains the same,” he said. This is his fourth film with Yash Chopra as director after Darr (1993), Dil To Pagal Hai (1997) and Veer-Zaara (2004).

SRK’s real-life approach to romance is simple. “When you should sit with who you love, you don’t need anything else – beach, candle, a car or anything. When you love someone, you don’t need anything else. The fact that you do need other things means that you don’t love that person,” said the actor who is happily married to Gauri Khan.

He added that his fans had formed an image on the basis of his screen appearance. “You will only know who I am from the impression you make of me from my films. You will never get to know how I really am because you don’t know me, neither do you spend time with me. And my larger-than-life image is so big that if I romance well, you will feel that I am a romantic. My image is so big already that whatever you think of me will be based on your perception of me from my films,” he said.

More than an actor, Shahrukh has become a brand. But nothing is more important than the acting, he says. “I feel that more than the brand, I just try to enjoy my acting. I have been enjoying it since 20 years. I don’t think I will stop soon. Till the time I get happiness, I will do it. Very few people get the chance of doing what they want to do, and very few get the chance of doing new things every day.”

“Sometimes I am romantic, sometimes I am dancing, fighting, going to new places…so I cherish these moments. I get excited and this shows on screen. Whatever role you give me, I will make it out to be something. It is like a challenge to me when I can add something (to my role),” he said.